Founded in 2014, Yacht Harbour has now gone through nearly 3 years of rapid growth, packed with milestones and interesting events. In this list are 11 things about Yacht Harbour that are not widely known, but we thought were interesting enough to share.
#1 Yacht Harbour started as an Instagram channel
Even though Yacht Harbour's initial plan was to build a web platform for a marketplace of yachts for sale, the company started an Instagram account in August 2014 to get some sort of traction, ahead of the launch of its website in December of that year.
At a time when no yachting media companies were on the platform, the strategy proved successful and saw Yacht Harbour get to 10,000 followers in under 4 months. This, in turn, proved instrumental to getting the first users to Yacht Harbour.
#2 We power instant results for a Top 5 search engine
Another little known fact about Yacht Harbour is that the company's index powers an instant result snippet for search engine, DuckDuckGo. One of the 5 available search settings on an iPhone, DuckDuckGo is a search engine built with privacy in mind.
Any user searching for a particular yacht on the platform, will see on top of search results an image of the yacht with it's main specifications, which DuckDuckGo displays using an API built by Yacht Harbour on top of its database for the search engine.
#3 News coverage was first meant as a content marketing play
Even though our audience is now spread evenly across its superyacht marketplace and its news section, Yacht Harbour's editorial coverage was started only in October 2015 to act as a content marketing vehicle for its search platform.
Despite these plans, news coverage rapidly evolved and grew to serve the purposes of a true media company, which Yacht Harbour has since become. Stories broken by our news department are now often used as sources by international media such as the BBC, CNBC and others.
#4 We built a chat bot to answer any yachting question
Developed in a wave of growing excitement over chat bots, Brook became the first chat bot in yachting that used a combination of machine learning, natural language recognition and big data to answer any question related to yacht.
Although Brook was since retired due to a lack of users, Yacht Harbour did manage to build a working version, answering over 80% of asked questions. Its original interface can still be seen here. When live it was even accessible from the Telegram messaging platform.
#5 Our content can be found on Forbes and Business Insider
As part of its content distribution strategy, Yacht Harbour struck deals with Business Insider to distribute part of its English-language content and to contribute stories to the French and Russian versions of Forbes.
With news stories around yachting and articles trying to open up the field to a more general audience, this content was read over 2 million times so far in 2017.
#6 We ran a crowdfunding campaign in our first year
Far from today's peak of attention around ICOs, Yacht Harbour ran a crowdfunding campaign in 2015 as an experiment, ahead of the launch of its charter marketplace to offer heavily discounted deals and lifetime advantages for participants.
Through the campaign, Yacht Harbour raised just under $3,000 from a series of contributors. The value of some the items offered then by Yacht Harbour has grown over 1,000x today.
#7 We get 10 million impressions of our content every month
Having rapidly grown from the 23 visitors Yacht Harbour on the day of it's launch, the company's combined channels now reach over 10 million impressions every month. This figure includes Yacht Harbour's website traffic, social media reach and audience on third-party platforms.
#8 There are sometimes easter eggs on Yacht Harbour
Sometimes overtaken by the holiday spirit, Yacht Harbour's homepage can sometimes change to adopt a special skin for limited times as seen above. So far, the company has dressed up its website for Halloween, Christmas and New Year's Eve but other events may soon be coming.
#9 One million minutes are spent watching Yacht Harbour's videos monthly
Playing an increasingly important role for any media company, videos have been a key to Yacht Harbour's success as well with over 800 days worth of videos being watched on our platform every month. The latest Black Pearl video alone reached over 3 million impressions on our network.
#10 Our Facebook page outranks its nearest competition 10 to 1
Owing much of its success to social media, Yacht Harbour has always tried to dominate the space in the superyacht sector and Facebook is currently the most reflective of this paradigm. Whereas Yacht Harbour gets 36,500 engagements on its page every week, the nearest competition currently sits at 3,300 engagements per week.
#11 It took us over 20,000 hours to build the Timeline platform
A major step forward in yacht search, Yacht Harbour's Timeline platform was launched in May 2017 after over 20,000 hours of research. The platform, compared to a Bloomberg terminal for yachting, lets its subscribers track the market in real time, discover the story behind any yacht and find the best deals on the market with big data.
Photos by Julien Hubert
The insolvent shipyards owned by Lars Windhorst in Schleswig-Holstein are set to be taken over by new investors. The appointed administrators have presented two buyers, while Windhorst has made a last-minute offer in an attempt to regain control.According to preliminary insolvency administrator Christoph Morgen, the Heinrich Rönner Group from Bremerhaven will acquire the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG). Work at the shipyard is expected to resume shortly, focusing on completing a ferry for the Australian shipping company SeaRoad. The vessel has been docked for an extended period. The Nobiskrug shipyard in Rendsburg, meanwhile, will be taken over by the Lürssen Group from Bremen, as confirmed by preliminary insolvency administrator Hendrik Gittermann.Both shipyards are currently owned by Windhorst’s Tennor Group. Windhorst entered the Flensburg shipyard in 2019 and later acquired the Rendsburg facility. Over time, both shipyards reportedly struggled with financial difficulties, leading to complaints from employees about a lack of orders and materials. Insolvency proceedings were initiated after social security providers filed claims over unpaid contributions. The administrators also discovered over 150 official notices in the offices, including enforcement orders and court documents.Despite the planned takeovers, Windhorst has not abandoned efforts to retain the shipyards.Credits: Yacht Harbour archive
January 31, 2025
The 26.7-meter power catamaran Laniakea, built by Latitude Yachts, is now available for purchase through Northrop & Johnson's yacht broker Ed Cavendish at a price of EUR7,500,000. Scheduled for delivery in 2026, the vessel is constructed from a lightweight carbon-fiber composite and features a shallow draft of 0.62 meters, making it suitable for coastal cruising and accessing shallow waters.The interior, designed by Chulhun Park of Latitude Yachts, has an open-plan layout with a main salon that integrates dining, lounging, and galley areas. Large, angular windows provide natural light and panoramic views. The interior design features beige and cream tones, wood accents, and blue details. Geometric wood paneling and integrated LED lighting contribute to a contemporary aesthetic.The owner's cabin includes a custom window overlooking the water. Guest accommodations consist of two VIP cabins, a double cabin, and an option for two additional cabins, allowing Laniakea to accommodate up to 10 guests. Two crew cabins provide space for onboard staff.The aft deck includes a dining area and a tender platform with a 500kg lift. The foredeck is designed for relaxation, with sunpads, seating, and glass bulwarks.Powered by four BMW-engineered waterjet engines, Laniakea has a top speed of 26 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots. The yacht incorporates solar panels on the superstructure and smart onboard systems for navigation, climate control, and entertainment. It is also capable of silent operation for up to six hours.Established in 2007, Latitude Yachts quickly gained recognition when its Quality Management System was certified by Bureau Veritas in 2011. By 2016, the shipyard launched the ocean-class trimarans, including the renowned Galaxy of Happiness.Credits: Northrop & Johnson
January 31, 2025
The Italian Sea Group continues outfitting work on the 82-meter Admiral Galileo megayacht at its Marina di Carrara shipyard. Designed by the company's R&D department in collaboration with London-based Bannenberg & Rowell Design for the interiors, the yacht is constructed from steel and aluminium.The current phase includes the installation of technology systems, navigation instrumentation, and the completion of interior and exterior spaces. According to Giovanni Costantino, Founder & CEO of The Italian Sea Group, "We are executing every phase of the project with the utmost attention to detail, ensuring that Galileo stands as the ultimate expression of luxury and innovation."Galileo features four decks with large windows and extensive lounge areas exceeding 100 square metres on each level. The owner’s cabin, located on the upper deck, spans 130 square metres. Other notable features include a waterfall connecting two of the yacht’s four pools, an underwater cinema lounge, and a beach area with a gym, spa, and massage room. The yacht can accommodate 12 guests and 28 crew members.One of the design elements is a visible engine room, integrated into the yacht’s interior through a corridor linking the spa area to the upper deck foyer. The delivery of Admiral Galileo is scheduled for early 2026.The Italian Sea Group is a global operator in the luxury yachting industry, listed on Euronext Milan (“EXM”) and active in the construction and refit of motor yachts and sailing yachts up to 140 meters. The Company, led by Italian entrepreneur Giovanni Costantino, operates on the market with the brands Admiral, renown for elegant and prestigious yachts, Tecnomar, Perini Navi, and Picchiotti; the Company has a business unit, NCA Refit, that manages the maintenance and refit services for yachts and mega yachts with a length over 60 meters. Credit: TISG
January 31, 2025
Custom Line concluded 2024 with the launch of two new yachts, bringing the total number of vessels introduced at the Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Ancona to 18 over the past year. Among the launches were the Custom Line 50, the brand’s first all-aluminium 50-meter displacement superyacht, and the Custom Line Navetta 38, a 299 GT displacement yacht. The first units of these models were launched in January and November, respectively.Custom Line 50The shipyard completed eleven launches in the Navetta line, six in the planing line, and one in the aluminium superyacht line. A new Custom Line Navetta 30 was launched on December 4, marking the 22nd hull in this displacement line. The yacht, measuring 28.43 metres in length with a beam of 7.3 metres, was developed by the Product Strategy Department and the Ferretti Group Engineering Department, in collaboration with ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel for the interiors and Filippo Salvetti for the exterior styling. Custom Line Atelier provided strategic consulting to adapt the interior design to the owner's stylistic preferences. Custom Line Navetta 38The year concluded with the launch of the 33rd Custom Line Navetta 33 on December 16. The vessel was developed by the Product Strategy Committee and the Ferretti Group Engineering Department, with Custom Line Atelier overseeing the owner's requests. The yacht, measuring 33 metres in length with a beam of 7.52 metres, was designed for charter operations and includes a number of customised features such as pullman beds in the guest cabins, additional storage units, and cocktail bars on the sun deck. The interior incorporates materials such as Irish Green marble in the master bathroom and American walnut flooring. The yacht’s colour scheme reflects the owner's preference for sage green, integrated in various elements throughout the interior.The Ferretti Group, led by Chief Executive Officer Alberto Galassi, is now one of the world’s leaders in the construction and sale of luxury yachts and pleasure vessels, with a unique portfolio of brands: Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing, Itama, Mochi Craft, CRN, Custom Line and Wally.Credits: Ferretti Group
January 30, 2025
Ocean Independence recorded a 22% increase in retail charter income in 2024 compared to the previous year, with several yachts in its Central Agency Fleet surpassing typical seasonal booking targets. The most frequently booked yacht was Onyx, securing over ten weeks of charter, followed closely by E-Motion and Isotta.OnyxChief Commercial Officer Toby Maclaurin stated, “We are very pleased with the 2024 charter result. It was a key pillar to the company’s overall performance and we expect a similar, if not better, result in 2025. Chartering large yachts is in vogue and we are well prepared to meet the needs of a wide variety of customers with our portfolio. Of course, we can also reserve any other available charter yacht for our customers.”The list of top-performing charter yachts in 2024 was led by Onyx, a 25.48-meter Ferretti-built yacht from 2007. The vessel accommodates up to ten guests in four staterooms and offers a spacious aft deck, alfresco dining areas, and a hot tub. Charter rates start from EUR 40,000 per week.E-MotionE-Motion, a 40-metre Sunseeker, was also among the most-booked yachts. It offers accommodation for ten guests across five staterooms, including a full-beam master suite and convertible twin staterooms. Charter rates begin at EUR 170,000 per week.IsottaIsotta, a Ferretti 1000 motor yacht, was another high-performing vessel. It features an innovative aft beach area and a spacious flybridge. The yacht accommodates up to ten guests in five staterooms, with rates starting from EUR 114,000 per week.VertigeVertige, a 50-meter yacht built by Tankoa in 2017, also saw strong bookings. The aluminium-built vessel features minimalist deck spaces and a contemporary interior by Francesco Paszkowski, accommodating 12 guests in six staterooms. Charter rates start at EUR 270,000 per week.HuboHubo, an Azimut 85 delivered in 2015, remains a popular choice among charterers. The yacht accommodates eight guests in four staterooms, including a full-beam master suite. Rates start from EUR 40,000 per week.With demand for large yacht charters increasing, Ocean Independence is advising early bookings for the 2025 season. Helene Delstanche, Group Charter Fleet Manager, commented, “To secure your dream yacht, I suggest calling us rather sooner than later. 2025 bookings are already strong, and demand will only get higher as we get closer to springtime.”Credits: Ocean Independence
January 30, 2025